Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her performances as Dr. Jennifer Melfi on the HBO series The Sopranos, and as Karen Friedman Hill in the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Bracco was born in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bay Ridge. She is the daughter of Eileen (née Molyneux 1926-2010) and Salvatore Bracco, Sr. She has a sister, Elizabeth Bracco, and brother, Salvatore Jr. Her mother was from England and met her father during World War II. Eileen came with Salvatore to the United States as a war bride.[2][3] Bracco grew up in Westbury, on Maxwell Drive on Long Island. She graduated from Hicksville High School in 1972. Her father was of Italian descent, while her mother was born in England to French parents.[4][5] Bracco is fluent in English, French and Italian.

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Career

In 1974, Bracco moved to France, where she became a fashion model for Jean-Paul Gaultier. She lived there for about a decade.[6]

While still modeling, Bracco was approached by Marc Camoletti who offered her a major role in the film adaptation of one of his plays, Duos sur canapé (1979). Bracco did not imagine that she could be an actress and initially refused. She eventually made the film, but found the experience "boring" and her performance "terrible". Nevertheless, she played supporting roles in two other French films "for the money". After a friend of hers had suggested that she might enjoy acting if she took some training, she followed seminars with John Strasberg. Although she loved the lessons, she was still unsure of her talents.[7]

During the 1980s, she also worked as a disc jockey for Radio Luxembourg. She appeared as Paul Guilfoyle's hostage in the first season Crime Story episode, "Hide and Go Thief". Her sister Elizabeth played a hostage in the series pilot. Eventually, Italian director and novelist Lina Wertmüller gave Bracco a small part in the film Camorra. "She dressed me up like an Italian woman of no means. A street woman clad in disheveled clothes, hair unkempt and all that, and threw me on the set. She was so creative. I mean, Lina accentuated my eyes with dark make-up, the way Sophia Loren used to appear in those epic roles in the '60s. And talk about talent. She's so bright and perceptive. I mean, she's just fantastic. And yes, I learned a lot from her. She's a master of her profession, and I've been blessed not only with her, but also with so many masters," recounted Bracco to Daniel Simone during a 2007 interview. The experience inspired Bracco to pursue acting.[6]

Her other films include Someone to Watch Over Me, Riding in Cars with Boys, The Basketball Diaries, Medicine Man, Radio Flyer and Hackers.

Bracco got her big career break when she was offered the role of mobster-wife Karen Hill in Goodfellas, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture. She won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Bracco is the owner of Bracco Wines, with association of Straight-Up Brands LLC.[8] Her line of wines was featured on the Season 1 finale of Bravo's show Top Chef in 2006. She appeared as a guest judge for the two-episode finale.[9] She also appeared as a special judge on Top Chef: All Stars in the episode titled "An Offer They Can't Refuse", which featured Italian cuisine.[10] Bracco appeared on a season 6 episode of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay as a guest judge for the ravioli throwdown.[11]

During the audition process for The Sopranos, David Chase wanted her to read for the lead female role of Carmela Soprano. However, Bracco had read the script and was drawn to the part of psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Bracco felt strongly enough about her ability and desire to play this part that she arranged a meeting with David Chase and talked him into letting her have a chance as Dr. Melfi.[12] It netted her three consecutive nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Emmy Awards in 1999, 2000 and 2001 and at the Golden Globe awards for Best TV Actress in a Drama in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She lost out at the Emmys in 1999 and 2001 and at the Golden Globes in 2000 to her co-star Edie Falco. She was nominated again at the 2007 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, thus being pitted against The Sopranos co-star Aida Turturro for the award.

Personal life

Bracco married Daniel Guerard in 1979, divorcing in 1982. They have one daughter, Margaux Guerard.[14] She was in a 12-year relationship with actor Harvey Keitel, whom she met while living in Paris. They have one daughter, Stella Keitel (b. 1985). Bracco and Keitel fought a lengthy custody battle over Stella, resulting in Bracco's depression, a loss of acting roles, and $2 million in legal fees.[15][16] She married Edward James Olmos in 1994, divorcing in 2002.[14]

Bracco is a practitioner of Shotokan Karate.[16] In 2015, she authored a self help book To the Fullest: The Clean Up Your Act Plan to Lose Weight, Rejuvenate, and Be the Best You Can Be.[17]

Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActressLos Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActressNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting ActressNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture

1991

Talent for the Game

Bobbie

Switch

Sheila Faxton

1992

Medicine Man

Dr. Rae Crane

Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress

Radio Flyer

Mary

Traces of Red

Ellen Schofield

Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress

1993

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Delores Del Ruby

1994

Being Human

Anna

1995

The Basketball Diaries

Mrs. Carroll

Hackers

Margo Wallace

1996

The Liars(Les Menteurs)

Helene Miller

1997

Silent Cradle

Helen Greg

2000

Ladies Room

Gemma

2001

Riding in Cars with Boys

Mrs. Teresa Donofrio

Tangled

Det. Anne Andersle

2003

Death of a Dynasty

Enchante R&B Singer #2

2005

Crazy for Love

Sheila

2011

Son of Morning

Leda

2012

The Bensonhurst Spelling Bee

Unknown

Short film

2016

Monday Nights at Seven

Damian Robertson

Television

Year

Title

Role

Notes

1980

Commissaire Moulin

Jenny

Episode: "Le transfuge"

1986

Crime Story

Hostage

Episode: "Hide and Go Thief"

1993

Scam

Maggie Rohrer

Television movie

1994

Getting Gotti

Diane Giacalone

Television movie

1996

Reckoning

Kits Maitland

Television movie

1998

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Det. Ray

Television movie

1999-2007

The Sopranos

Dr. Jennifer Melfi

69 episodesScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesNominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress - Television Series DramaNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

2001

Sex in Our Century

Narrator

Television movie

2003

Custody of the Heart

Claire Raphael

Television movie

2005

Law & Order: Trial by Jury

Karla Grizano

Episode: "Vigilante"

2007

Snowglobe

Rose Moreno

Television movie

2008

Long Island Confidential

Norah Larkin

Television movie

Lipstick Jungle

Janice Lasher

2 episodes

2010

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Halfway House Matron

Episode: "Disciple"

2010-2016

Rizzoli & Isles

Angela Rizzoli

101 episodes

2011

I Married a Mobster

Narrator

10 episodes

2011

Top Chef

Herself/Guest Judge

1 episode

2014

Mulaney

Vaughn

Episode: "Sweet Jane"

2016

Dice

Toni

2 episodes

BoJack Horseman

Dr. Janet (voice)

2 episodes

2017-2018

Blue Bloods

Mayor Margaret Dutton

6 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year

Association

Category

Nominated work

Result

1990

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

Best Supporting Actress

Goodfellas

Nominated

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

Best Supporting Actress

Nominated

1991

Academy Awards

Best Supporting Actress

Nominated

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

Best Supporting Actress

Won

Golden Globe Awards

Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture

Nominated

1993

Razzie Awards

Worst Actress

Medicine Man

Nominated

Traces of Red

Nominated

1999

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

The Sopranos

Nominated

2000

Golden Globe Awards

Best Actress - Television Series Drama

Nominated

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Nominated

Satellite Awards

Best Actress - Television Series Drama

Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Nominated

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Won

2001

Golden Globe Awards

Best Actress - Television Series Drama

Nominated

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Nominated

2002

Golden Globe Awards

Best Actress - Television Series Drama

Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Nominated

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Nominated

2003

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Nominated

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Nominated

2005

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Nominated

2007

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Nominated

2008

Monte-Carlo Television Festival

Outstanding Actress - Drama Series

Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Won

Bibliography

On the Couch (Putnam Adult, 2006) ISBN 0-399-15356-X

To the Fullest: The Clean Up Your Act Plan to Lose Weight, Rejuvenate, and Be the Best You Can Be (Rodale Books, 2015) ISBN 0399199608